All he knew to be true
by Danielle18
Summary: Hector knows that tomorrow his destiny, his fate will not be held in his own hands… but in the hands of that warrior whom he must face...


**_AUTHOR'S NOTE: this is my first Troy fic. I just loved the movie (especially Eric Bana!) and I just had an urge to write a story about my favorite couple._**

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**_Please give me feedback- whether it is good or bad. Criticism is always encouraged. _**

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**_As per usually, I don't own Troy etc, etc, etc…._**

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**_Just enjoy…. _**

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Their bodies entwined in a sweet embrace. She closed her eyes and felt his ecstasy, his body pressing against hers; she felt his every delighted breath, feeling his chest rise and fall rhythmically.

His lips found hers in the darkness and pressed hard; wrapping her arms around him she drew her husband closer as the kiss deepened.

Their two bodies lay tangled and searing as both their hearts throbbed with excitement.

She lay still atop of him; her head nestled against his firm chest, listening to his heart calm and his breaths steady with her own.

Sleep soon found her, and while listening to that beating of his great heart, she drifted into slumber.

Carefully, so as not to awake her, Hector lifted his wife from his body and slipped out of bed. Looking down at her as he pulled his robe on, he noted the delicate way her hair fell across her face, the subtle smile playing on her lips as she dreamt of happier days and her creamy skin that glistened in the pouring moonlight.

A smile tugged at his usually serious mouth as he looked upon his wife, his love.

Their son lay in a similarly peaceful slumber as his mother, at the foot of the couple's bed in his delicate cradle. How Hector wished he could find such calm.

As he watched little Astyanax, the child squirmed, clenching his fists unknowingly, and Hector saw a glimpse of a soldier to be.

Hector wandered out to the balcony, where the light material of the curtains danced in the breeze, beckoning him.

He leaned against the stone railing, and looked out across his city. Troy. Glorious Troy. Protected by its mighty walls, Troy was alive and beautiful, even in the deadest of nights. Lights were still aglow and scattered, scents still swelled with the light breeze and the faint sounds of its occupants could be heard. Beyond the walls lay the wide, long beaches. Greeks were spread across the golden sands now, and lay in wait… their intimidating ships were a constant and obvious reminder.

Andromache stirred, and Hector could feel her momentary panic as she reached out to find her husband gone. A small gasp started to escape her mouth, but she caught it as she looked across the room to where her husband stood, tall and proud, looking out across his home. He did not turn to face her, but listened to her gentle and quiet movements as she moved to stand with him.

He closed his eyes for a moment, as she stood behind him, he felt her stop and her eyes fix on his back. He knew what she needed to say.

"Do not ask the impossible of me" his tone was stern, but his words were pleading.

She should not have been so taken-aback. Her husband knew her well, just as she did him. He had probably felt her tension the moment he laid eyes on her that morning. But he had said nothing, knowing it would be best to wait for her. He knew when she would be ready.

Andromache bowed her head as she felt her eyes well with tears. "Hector…" she breathed his name.

"Please" he said, turning his head slightly to look at her over his shoulder. "Please?" he repeated. She raised her head to show him the single tear that had trickled down her cheek.

Hector was not a man who asked much from those he loved. All he ever wanted from those close to him was their loyalty and love in return. Andromache knew that his plea was worth its weight in gold, and revealed more about his guarded self than all their years of marriage ever had.

She knew how hard it was for him to ask so much from her. To ask her not to think of their life together… but of the lives he was trying to save. Still, she could not bite her tongue. She could not help her selfishness.

"For your son's sake…" her voice was small, quivering with the tears that now ran more frequently from her eyes.

Hector turned away from her again, drinking in the city below, he closed his eyes and felt them prick.

She let out a small, coiled cry which shocked even her. She wrapped her arms tight around her body to try and stop herself from shaking as she cried.

With one more deep breath, Hector turned away from the city, and strode towards his wife. He bundled her up in his strong arms and held her tight as her body heaved with forceful sobs. She pressed her face against his strong chest in an effort to silence her sobbing. It was no use.

He gently stroked her wavy brown hair, breathing in her lavender scent.

"Do not go" her words were broken and small as she blurted them out in between her sobs. Still, they pierced his heart.

Her crying became still, her body weak now from all the tears… she looked up into his face. "Do not go!" she said, though her voice still cracked, her words were more forceful, and demanded a response.

He loosened his hold on her a little, and she broke free, angered by his silence. "Do not leave me…" she looked into his dark eyes, feeling her own swell again, "do not leave us!" she motioned to the cradle by their bed, where Hector's son still slept peacefully.

His brow creased with torment, and he turned away from her a little. Andromache felt fury replace her sadness, and carefully lunged at him, in spite of herself. Of course, her surge of anger was useless; Hector caught her again in his arms, and she was instantly weakened as he looked into her face, his strong arms holding her.

"Do you think I want this?" he asked her quietly, aware of his sleeping babe.

He released her and she stepped back.

"I am bound by duty." He started, "duty to my home- to Troy…" his eyes never wavered, never released her own, "duty to my father and my people…" he impulsively raised his voice defiantly.

Just then, the child squirmed, opened his eyes and let out a wailing scream.

Andromache held Hector's gaze for a moment longer, before breaking away to attend to her son… lifting him from the cradle, she held him to her chest, swaying her body as she kissed his forehead and whispered soft words. Shooting a fiery glare at Hector, she strode towards him, still cooing her child.

"So, you have no obligation to your son and me?" she raised an eyebrow.

Hector faltered for a moment, looking from the infant, to his wife, and back again. He opened his mouth to say something, and then closed it just as quickly.

"You give all of yourself to Troy… to your people, and to your father… is there none of you left for me?" she looked down at Astyanax, and then back to his father, "for him?"

She cursed herself as tears pricked at her eyes again.

Hector went to move forward, and Andromache flinched, "Damn you and your _duty_!" Andromache blurted, and then kissed her sons forehead once more.

Although she recoiled again, Hector took a step towards her, and outstretched an arm to rest against her side; "I love Troy…." He started, and instantly Andromache frowned bitterly. "I love Troy…" he continued, "…But as much as I adore this city… I would give it all up; to be the man you want me to be…"

Astyanax lay sleeping in his mother's arm now, as his father leaned forward to softly kiss Andromache's lips. "I would give it all away for you…" he looked to his son, kissing his forehead, and then looking back to Andromache, reaching out and lightly brushing a wisp of hair from her face, "…for both of you" he added.

She closed her eyes for a moment, "if only that were possible" she whispered.

Hector's fingers lightly traced her lips, and then gently caressed her cheek as she closed her eyes again and leaned into his touch. "I want you all to myself…" she murmured.

Hector smiled as he ran his fingers along her neck and down to her collarbone; "I _am_ yours, always and forever… never forget that"

She opened her eyes and found him already looking into her face, lovingly. "Tomorrow…" she choked on her own words, but swallowed back her tears and continued, "…tomorrow, you will be safe…. You will come back to me?"

He had felt the truth inside himself. He knew that tomorrow- his destiny, his fate- was not held in his own hands… but in the hands of the Gods- in the hands of that warrior whom he had to face…

Hector did not trust himself to utter such a lie- such a promise that could not possibly be fulfilled.

Instead of comforting her with any certain words, he leaned in and kissed her lips tenderly again, and when he pulled away he whispered; "I love you"… because that was all he knew to be true.


End file.
